This invention relates to drum type photographic printers, and in particular to devices of that type incorporating film slewing apparatus.
In the operation of contact photographic printing systems it is often required that multiple prints be made from a single section of film. Since most drum type contact printers feed master and copy film through the system light exposure region in a continuous manner (the master film carrying the free running copy film with it) it is difficult and often impossible to do more than provide a single reproduction of the film as it is run through the printer. The problem has in the past been solved by slewing the film. However, in previous equipment which needed slewing the function was usually provided by using an alternate film path with the film being manually moved between paths. Such a method is awkward to perform and adds considerable complexity and expense to the system. There currently exists therefore, the need for a simple, inexpensive method of slewing for drum type contact printing systems. In particular there exists the need for simplified slewing equipment that can be added to devices incorporating silver halide and diazo designs. Such an addition would offer great convenience in making multiple copies of any section of master film webs to be duplicated in these special cases. The present invention is directed toward satisfying these and other needs.